|
Yes we can - get rid of Rodney |
|
|
|
Written by Al Hollingsworth
|
|
Friday, 20 February 2009 |
The last thing Nova Scotia needs is four more years of Rodney MacDonald, a premier who has little or no regard for the system of governance. We have to assume this is because of the precious little time the 52 MLAs spend in the Legislature.
That is where governments are held accountable. John Buchanan, for all his warts, never shunned facing the Opposition. During his years in office, Buchanan’s sessions in the House of Assembly would last for two or three months. With Rodney MacDonald, three weeks seems to be the norm.
The fiddler from Mabou would rather play peek-a-boo, you see him there, you see him here, but never where he should be, at the Legislature. Didn’t he learn anything under Dr. John Hamm? The former premier, the epitome of statesmanlike, regularly faced the heat of accountability.
We are in desperate financial times and MacDonald won’t open the books. Frankly, playing silly bugger just won’t cut it.
He’s playing one of the oldest games in the book, stalling for time and then, just before they are due to go to the Legislature, he’ll pull the plug.
By doing that he will put the brakes on the infrastructure programs that are so desperately needed. Everything will come to a grinding halt during the election campaign, and the program won’t resume until a new government is sworn in.
Meanwhile the jobless numbers will climb and the hurting will continue.
We have the second biggest region in the province, Cape Breton Regional Municipality, telling us that they cannot afford their share of the infrastructure renewal program. This is an area with high unemployment numbers and the residents there, more than anywhere else in the province, need the jobs that the program can produce.
Under the terms of the program, the municipal units are responsible for one-third of the cost. The Province and the feds each pay one-third.
This issue alone should have them in the House, hammering out a solution. Maybe the Province should be picking up CBRM’s share, and the shares for other municipalities who are broke.
Develop a program whereby long term no interest loans could be issued. Heck, use the money (if we ever get it) from the Atlantic Accord to bankroll these loans. Desperate times sometimes requires desperate measures.
Finally, one last word of advice for Rodney; just don’t stand there, do something.
(Al Hollingsworth is a retired journalist and broadcaster)
|
